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DS Soundwares Drum Set library list

DS Soundware’s Drum Set performance list:

All samples will have two options; dry and processed. The inclusion of the processed samples is for individuals who do not have the time to engineer the dry samples. In the cases the large amount of vel’s is not so much for dynamic differences rather than multiple samples to pull from. If anyone has any input that they would like to make of things that they would like to see added just let us know! We will post the specific instruments as soon as they are finalized. Work has already begun on this project but, as you can see by the list, don’t expect this library any time soon. The target date is late summer.

Re: DS Soundwares Drum Set library list

This sounds great! I want to offer my 2 cents on snare samples. The kind of sound you get out of a snare is mostly dependent on the micing technique and how it is hit, and not so much on the snare itself. There are many tricks to recording a certain type of sound, that cannot be achieved later with processing. My favorite way of getting a sound with alot of depth is using a dynamic on top of the snare and a (polarity reversed condenser on the bottom) and mixing the 2 together. Or perhaps the condenser mic could be a seperate dimension? This is the sort of simple trick, that many engineers know of, that has been conspicuously absent from drum libraries.

Re: DS Soundwares Drum Set library list

I\'m sure Donnie and Sean need no advice from me as to how to go about micing and capturing the sound of a drum kit, but I would like share some of the techniques I have used over the years in capturing drum sounds in the hope that perhaps it will give the guys some fresh ideas and further scope for experimentation.

(1) I think the AKG D112 (formerly D12) is a terrific kick drum mic. I have also had good results using PZM mic on the floor just in front of the bass drum.

(2) I would like a choice of coincident and spaced pair overheads. This is of course assuming that the cymbals are not to be close miced.

(3) Snare: I would like a choice of snare and batter head mics. I have used Shure SM 57s and other dynamic cardioid pattern mics with success. I happen to prefer the sound of a hypercardioid condenser mic on the snare (sharper attack than a dynamic - dynamics tend to have a slower response to fast transients) One must be careful not to place the mic where it gets that \"air pump\" effect, every time the hi-hats are open and shut.

(4) I feel the hi-hats should be close miced (for maximum versatility). I would use a good quality capacitor or electret mic for this purpose. I would like two micing options to be available - one aimed at the outer edge of the cymbal and the other aimed more towards the bell for more of a ringy, chiming, clanging effect.

(5) For close micing the toms, you could cut a hole in the bottom skin of the toms and mic from underneath (not unlike the kick drum technique). The other approach is to use hypercardioid mics with polar response nulls targeted at the cymbals to cut down on resonant spill.

(6) As I assume Sean is a terrific player, (who can actually control the dynamics of his playing through good technique - what a concept!) I see no reason whatever to compress the kit unless absolutely necessary. Any compression used should be absolutely transparent.

(7) 24-bit recording should be MANDATORY for capturing drums. The collective drum kit is one of the most dynamic instruments known to humanity and NEEDS the extra headroom that 24-bit recording affords. Sampling rate is relatively trivial in comparison, but I would go with 48khz.

(8) No gating. Please? ;-)

Many thanks to Donnie and Sean for this opportunity to help mould what I strongly suspect will turn out to be the best drum library out there – bar none.

Re: DS Soundwares Drum Set library list

Hi,

just a programming suggestion.
I like when I have multiple similar hits on adjacent keyboard piano keys. For example if snare has a right hand hit on D2 and left hand hit on E2.

But since your library will be the most bitchin\' to date I\'d like to suggest putting a right hand hit on D2 and another right hand hit on D#2. A left hand hit on E2 and another left hand hit on F2. This will give us varied hits...and since they will all be in close proximity on the keyboard we will be able to play fast passages easier. And have varied strikes giving more realistic, human variation.

Re: DS Soundwares Drum Set library list

WOW! Thanks guys for all the support and comments. I\'ll try to address as much as I can.

-Yes everything will be recorded in 24bit.

-Marty the adjacent key thing sounds great but I am already finding that with all the articulations that we are running out of key! The idea behind the 16vel. in most of the drums is that I will map them really close together at the top and you can use a \"humanizer\" or \"randmoizer\" to quickly and effectively get different sounds.

-as far as the mic\'ing I don\'t want to say to much right now. We are still trying stuff out and looking for the best overall solution. What I can tell you is that the absolute best equipment is being used.

If you guys think of anything else just let us know! Thanks for all the support.

Re: DS Soundwares Drum Set library list

I have a request for your library.

It seems to me like there is often too much of a distinction between \"ride\" cymbals and \"crash\" cymbals. Certain genres of music require something, shall we say, in between.... Put on the Beatles\' \"I Feel Fine\" to see what I mean. It sounds to me like Ringo is playing a ride pattern on his crash cymbal. A drummer friend of mine once told me that, at least among rock drummers, the distinction between \"ride\" and \"crash\" wasn\'t really made until the seventies... It was all just \"cymbals.\"

Most \"ride\" samples are too light and airy for this kind of thing, and most \"crash\" cymbals are too loud and sharp. Apparently the Roland TD-10 has a sample called \"60\'s Ride\" for this sort of thing, but I don\'t own one, and I\'m not about to.

Re: DS Soundwares Drum Set library list

Jacob,

You make a very good point and I am a BIG Beatles fan also! All the cymbals will have \"tip\" and \"skank\" hits at several velocities. That way you will be able to use a crash or even a china like a ride cymbal.